Climate change

Over the last five decades forests, woodlands and trees in Britain have been exposed to considerable changes in the climate, and these are predicted to become much larger in future decades, largely because of our use, globally, of fossil fuels. We are assessing how forestry can contribute to reducing climate change. Also we are investigating how management of existing woodlands can improve their robustness and resilience; this understanding can be used to establish new woodland that is less vulnerable to climate change.

Our challenge is to develop new methods for adaptation of woodlands to climate change and enhance forestry’s contribution to mitigation measures and carbon management.